G'day mates!

OUR departure date came and went without incident. Apart from sub-zero temperatures and a few millimetres of snow threatening airport closure, we boarded our flight to Singapore, on time and in - surprisingly - good spirits.

The week leading upto our leaving day was ... how can I say ... interesting. It was like attending my own wake with visitors calling, all sombre and solemn-faced, hardly managing to make any eye contact or hug resistance.

They brought cards, gifts and well wishes, interspersed with choked words convincing us we WERE doing the right thing and that all would be well. The final weekend in Wales was, however, more like Chinese torture with our nearest and dearest.
My heart strings have never been pulled in so many directions and my ribs ached from sessions of sobs, tears and palpitations. Drama Queen maybe but true nonetheless.

The flight was a blaaarrrrdy long one. But in all fairness, there's plenty of entertainment. Whether it's the inflight movies, the battle with the geriatric in front who insists on reclining into your personal airspace or just the people watching that comes with air travel, there really is something for everyone long haul.

I spent most of the last five or six hours of the flight observing my fellow travellers. In the distance, I clocked a middle aged guy, all tracksuited up and ready to rock 'n' roll. He spent most of the flight in the aisle limbering up with his absurd routine of healthy air travelling. After countless squats, and thrusts, and stretches, and neck cracks, he would settle down for yet another meal and glass of Chardonnay.

After travelling for 24 hours, we touched down, all green faced and stomach churned. I suppose this had something to do with the sleep deprivation and time travel.
We left Manchester at 9.15am and after a few hours, lunch was served. After the last doll's-house-type food package had been tackled and the empties had been cleared, a gaze out the window shocked me.... Straight after lunch and it was dark.

Another dollop of flying was taken on and after a three hour stop at Singapore Airport, we got back on the winged beast for the final leg of the journey. Flying over Perth, I was jealous of those migrating to this part of Australia. For them, their feat of endurance would be over. For us heading to Melbourne, it was a further four hours in the clouds. If the ground hadn't been so hot when we landed, I would've kissed it.

After just a few days, the temperature has been fantastic - averaging daily at around 30. Tomorrow, however, offers a different story. Temperatures are forecast to soar to a whopping 43 then dropping to something like 24 the day after. Residents have been put on high alert for potential bush fires and fire rescue teams are pensive over the imminent 24-hr heatwave.

So after a few days in the land Down Under, I have had a little time to reflect on my situation. I have left behind a great many friends and a close knit family that I know were sad to see the back of me. The thought of re-building such a strong social network now fills me with dread as I enter this country as Melbourne's new girl ... craving to fit in and integrate with the locals.

Social adjustment is of paramount importance to me now and as I sit on the verandah of my Warrandyte Road holiday home with a glass of Australian white, I take stock of the things that matter.
I will contact "home" regularly and will never forget those who mean the most to me. The relationships I have forged over the years mean more to me than anything else and they are too strong to diminish.

But life IS too short for regrets and this is something we have always had to do...